Introduction:
A rising number of people are receiving Cosmetic Surgery (CS)1 globally for conditions ranging from erasing the signs of aging to repairing congenital disabilities. The number of cosmetic treatments performed in the US has increased since the middle of the 20th century, from roughly 15,000 in 1949 to 15.7 million in 2016.3 In the United States, aesthetic CS accounted for 14.1% of all surgical procedures (such as breast augmentation), 22.7% of all nonsurgical procedures (such as botulinum injections), and 18.7% of all procedures performed overall in 2018. Brazil reported a similarly high percentage of cosmetic surgical procedures (14.1%).1 In the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, the number of surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic operations is increasing steadily.
Does the Culture of Celebrities and Social Media Make Cosmetic Surgery Available?
Recent years have seen a growth in the popularity of cosmetic surgery, primarily due to the rise of social media and celebrity culture. Cosmetic procedures are now potentially accessible to anyone if they desire to do so and can afford the lower costs. Previously, this was only possible for celebrities or those with large amounts of discretionary wealth.
The Widespread Use of Cosmetic Procedures
The popularity of cosmetic surgery has skyrocketed in recent years as more and more people opt to have various procedures done to alter their physical look. This can be partly attributable to the social media and celebrity culture influences on society, which have facilitated people's access to information about various cosmetic procedures. While the availability of these medicines is frequently beneficial for many, significant issues have emerged as a result of the trend and necessitate further investigation.
Over 24 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments were performed globally in 2018, up 4% from the previous year, according to research by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS). The rising popularity of cosmetic surgery can be attributed to several factors, including media exposure, cultural pressures, and shifting notions of what constitutes beautiful. People can easily access information about various cosmetic treatments and procedures on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Celebrities frequently take a prominent role on these platforms, promoting their transformations or endorsing specific products or services in cosmetic surgery. This can put pressure on people to live up to unrealistic standards of beauty or attractiveness that are sometimes depicted in the media, leading to some people seeking out these procedures to "fit in" with others or to have a particular desired look.
Lack of sufficient laws or control could result in patients who are unfit or ill-prepared for surgery. In addition, medical care and treatment could be provided for less money than is typically anticipated due to practitioner price rivalry. Therefore, to protect the safety of those who choose to get such treatments, governments must implement stricter and more thorough laws on who can provide these services and what should be expected of practitioners who do so.
Possible Side Effects of Affordable Cosmetic Surgery
The potential for lowering safety and efficacy standards is one of the effects of the increased accessibility of cosmetic operations. Over the past ten years, there has been an enormous increase in the demand for cosmetic procedures, which has led some medical experts to take shortcuts to meet this demand. Due to a lack of attention or time spent with the patient, this might have risky repercussions like unsuccessful procedures, infections, and scarring.
Even though many of these operations are elective, if they are not done correctly or if the patient is not appropriately prepared for them, they could still have adverse psychological effects. Consultation with a board-certified surgeon knowledgeable about the most recent methods is crucial for anyone considering cosmetic surgery.
Access to cosmetic surgery raises concerns about potential health hazards and a warped perception of what it means to be beautiful and how one should look. While social media has mainly been credited with increasing access to cosmetic procedures, it has also been held responsible for encouraging exaggerated beauty standards. The likelihood of needless procedures and an excessive focus on physical appearance rises when more people start pursuing these therapies without fully understanding their ramifications or exploring their options.
Should Social Media Be Blamed?
Social media have greatly impacted the cosmetic surgery industry. The presence of "influencers" who advertise themselves and their lives on various social media platforms is partly to blame for this. Influencers who have undergone cosmetic surgery frequently show off the results, giving people an idea of what they may look like if they underwent the process themselves.
This promotion might have hazardous repercussions, particularly for young individuals easily persuaded by such pictures. People who experience "Snapchat dysmorphia," a phenomenon that motivates them to change their appearance to imitate manipulated photographs that surface on social media platforms, have been identified.
Additionally, not all cosmetic surgery facilities offer effective or safe procedures. Dishonest healthcare professionals can use social media to draw in gullible consumers looking for a quick remedy or transformation. Medical practitioners may issue cautions, yet some patients may succumb to temptation. Despite the cautions of medical experts, some patients might still be persuaded to accept this risk to duplicate the outcomes they see others obtaining on their timelines and news feeds.
Ultimately, it is crucial for people thinking about cosmetic surgery to be aware that social media, despite initially appearing to be handy and beautiful, can have a solid yet harmful influence on decisions about treatments for aesthetic enhancement. It is also important to note that, to safeguard consumers from incorrect information and potentially dangerous practices, certain governments are starting to take action against fraudulent advertising relating to cosmetic surgery, particularly those associated with influencer culture.
Are Celebrities Cause of Increasing Cosmetic Surgery?
Celebrities have a history of influencing followers in all facets of life, from fashion and hair trends to way-of-life decisions. Additionally, it has been asserted that celebrities may significantly impact people's decisions to get cosmetic surgery.
Even while celebrities might mislead the public into thinking cosmetic surgery is much less harmful, there are still hazards involved in these treatments. Before any operation, people should be aware that not all cosmetic surgeons provide the same degree of care or skill; therefore, they should conduct their research and select a respected doctor who takes all safety precautions carefully.
Remember that each person's body is different, so what works for one person may not necessarily work for another. Therefore, every decision to proceed with a procedure should be carefully considered, considering all associated risks and consequences. While emulating the celebrity culture can be entertaining, we should always exercise caution when making decisions regarding our health, especially cosmetic surgery. Instead of relying only on other influences, we should make our well-informed selections.
Celebrity culture and social media have made cosmetic surgery more widely available. Thanks to this trend, more people can now seek the therapies they want, but there may also be adverse effects. Governments and medical experts must keep these ramifications in mind and must also take action to protect persons who choose to seek such procedures. To fully comprehend the influence of growing accessibility to cosmetic surgery on society, more research must be done on how social media and celebrity culture contribute to it.
Conclusion:
Numerous factors, including self-esteem and body image, psychological state, body dysmorphic disorder, and body mass index, have been found to predict whether or not a particular person may accept plastic surgery and decide to have it done. This review shows that racial, ethnic, and cultural characteristics, such as gender, age, and CS acceptability, may also depend on these aspects. The acceptability and pursuit of CS are predicted by many common criteria for all genders, age groups, ethnicities, and cultures. They may, however, vary in terms of influence and expression.
